Bus-van accident in Seattle sends 3 to the hospital

An old Chevy van and a King County Metro bus collided at the intersection of Pike Street and Boren Avenue in Seattle Wednesday afternoon, sending three people to Harborview Medical Center.

Witnesses told Seattle police that the gray van traveling northbound on a steep downhill portion of Boren Avenue was running a red light when it struck a Metro bus traveling eastbound on a green light at about 4:45 p.m.

Medics took the male driver and female passenger of the van out of the vehicle and took them to Harborview in stable condition, said Seattle Fire Department spokesman Kyle Moore. But Seattle police said their injuries were at least initially life-threatening.

“They were in bad shape and not moving when I saw them,” said Joan Patrie, who was biking to her nearby home when she saw medics respond to the scene.

A woman in the bus was also taken to Harborview with minor injuries, according to Sgt. Grant Ballingham of the Seattle Police Department.

Passengers of the Metro bus were evacuated and transferred to another bus, but the crash created backups for several Metro lines and other drivers in the area during rush hour. As of 7 p.m., King County Metro was still re-routing buses to avoid the intersection.

Ballingham said, per standard procedure, a DUI detective has been sent to Harborview to interview the driver of the van. The van was filled with belongings, and its rear windows were covered with gray paint.

About The Today File

The Today File is a general news blog featuring real-time coverage of Seattle and the Northwest. It is reported by the news staff of The Seattle Times and includes stories from The Associated Press and McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.